Many different types of systems and techniques have been employed to help individuals improve their skills in playing various athletic sports, including such sports as baseball, tennis and golf. The goal of such systems and techniques is often to teach the individual how to control the position and motion of various portions of the person's body during a particular movement, such as during the swing of a tennis racket or golf club.
For instance, a number of different systems have been used to analyze the position and motion of a person's body while he or she swings a golf club. Such systems include motion picture cameras, stationary weighing platforms, lights attached to the subject and the like. These systems use various instruments and recording apparatus to measure and record such parameters as arm position and distribution of weight. After the subject has completed a particular motion, the data are gathered and reviewed. Often these data are compared to data taken using a highly skilled subject, such as an expert player. By comparing these data, a student learns, after the fact, what portion of his position or motion should be altered in order to more closely mimic that of the expert.
The above described prior art systems and methods, while providing analytic measurements, are generally only marginally effective in providing training, at least for most individuals. A major downfall of many such systems is that they can be used only in a laboratory setting, and cannot be used during normal play. Laboratory settings, with artificial playing surfaces, cameras, etc., create an environment conducive to good clinical observation, but one that is far removed from that in which the player must ultimately perform. Transference to the actual play environment diminishes the efficacy of such training.
A second major problem with the above described prior art system and methods is that the information obtained is provided to the subject after the conclusion of the particular action being analyzed. The longer the time delay between the motion and the analysis, the less effective the training method will be. Real time feedback is much more effective than such delayed analyses.
Another class or type of training systems and methods employs various physically constraining devices, which are worn by, or attached to the subject. These devices are intended to restrain the position or motion of portions of the subject's body, such that his position or motion are restricted within predetermined limits. This type of training aid is generally of little value. Such intrusive devices create an unrealistic learning environment, often causing the subject to work against the constraint, relying upon the device itself to limit the subject's position or motion. Once the constraint is removed, the subject must then employ muscular action that is far different from the actions used while constrained in order to limit his/her position or motion. Furthermore, such devices are clumsy to use during regular play and often interfere with other legitimate actions required at other times during play.
It is well known that it is important for a golf player to properly distribute his/her weight on his/her two feet, and to steadily maintain proper grip pressure on the golf club. Similar skills are required for other sports, such as tennis and baseball. These skills are difficult to learn without extensive assistance from a professional teacher, typically involving great expense. The present invention provides low cost apparatus which gives golf players real time feedback regarding weight distribution, grip pressure and the position and motion of various parts of the player's body while actually playing the game, thereby giving them continuous training that would be otherwise hard to achieve.